Leader-card storage unit and leader-card storage assembly

Abstract: The application relates to a leader stocker for storing leaders (L) with films (F) coupled thereto, said leader stocker (A) comprising a case, a plurality of pairs of leader supports provided in said case at each side thereof and spaced apart from one another by a predetermined interval, each pair of said leader supports adapted to support the leader at both sides thereof, and detent means (X) provided for each of said leader supports (7) for allowing the leader to move along said leader support forwardly into said leader stocker and for preventing said leader from moving in an opposite direction.

Description: This invention relates to a leader storage unit for storing leaders with films coupled thereto and to a leader storage assembly arranged to be mounted at a film outlet at an end of the carrier path of an automatic film developing machine, said leader storage assembly comprising the above mentioned leader storage unit. Ordinarily, when a film is developed by an automatic film developing machine, a thin and flat leader having holes is connected to two films in order to guide the films to the developing unit, as for example known from EP-A-0158 806 or EP-A-0251 338. In the automatic film developing machine, a stock unit is provided at a film outlet and developed and dried negative films are fed from the film outlet to the stock unit and then piled. In the conventional arrangement, the leaders with films were piled one upon another in a very disorderly manner. Thus, the films were liable to have a fold or get damaged when taken out of the stock unit. It is an object of the present invention to provide a leader storage unit and a leader storage assembly in which developed films having leaders can be piled and stored in order. According to the present invention, this object is solved for a leader storage unit as indicated above, in that said leader storage unit comprises a rectangular case with its bottom end open, a plurality of pairs of leader supports, each pair being adapted to support a leader by its lateral edges, the leader supports consisting of a plurality of grooves spaced apart a predetermined interval and provided at respective inner sides of two opposite walls of the case, and detent meand provided for each of said leader supports for allowing a leader to move along any pair of leader supports forwardly into said leader storage unit and for preventing said leader from moving in the opposite direction. Further, there is provided a leader storage assembly as indicated above comprising a storage unit holder for removably holding said leader storage unit, so that one of said pairs of leader supports opposes said film outlet, leader feeding means for feeding a leader from said film outlet into the leader storage unit along said pair of leader supports opposing said film outlet until the leader has passed through said detent means, and transfer means for moving the storage unit holder in a direction perpendicular to the direction of feeding the leaders to a position where the next pair of leader supports opposes said film outlet every time a leader has passed said detent means. The leader storage unit is held in the stocker holder. The leader, fed from the leader carrier path of the automatic film developing machine, is supported at both lateral edges thereof by a pair of leader supports and then transmitted along the leader support driven by the leader feeding mechanism. In this state, the detent means permits the leader to move forward without intervening its movement. After the leader has passed the detent means, the detent means prevents the leader from moving in the opposite direction. The transfer means serves to move the storage unit holder to the direction perpendicular to the carrier direction of the leader. The next leader support is placed opposite to the carrier exit of the leader carrier path. The next leader is then fed to this leader support. The same operation is repeated. The developed film leader can be stored one by one in an orderly manner in each leader support in the leader storage unit automatically and continuously. Moreoever, as each film is held hanging down from the leader, no fold or damage develops. Furthermore, a plurality of films having leaders are stored in the leader storage unit. Thus, the film can be easily passed onto the film printing apparatus and stored reliably. Other preferred embodiments of the present invention are laid down in further dependent claims. In the following, the present invention is explained in greater detail subject to several embodiments thereof in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the leader storage unit according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional front view of the same; Fig. 3 is a sectional side view of the same; Fig. 4 is a schematic view showing one embodiment of the arrangement for feeding leaders into the leader storage unit; Fig. 5 is a partially enlarged sectional view of the same; Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a transfer means of the same; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the leader feeding means of the same; Fig. 8A is a sectional view showing another example of the detent means; Fig. 8B is a sectional view taken along VIII - VIII of Fig. 8A; Fig. 9A is a sectional view showing still another example of the detent means; Fig. 9B is a sectional view taken along IX - IX of Fig. 9A; Fig. 10A is a sectional view showing a further example of the detent means; and Fig. 10B is a sectional view taken along X - X of Fig. 10A. Figs. 1 - 3 show a leader storage unit embodying the present invention. A case 1 is in the form of a rectangular box with its top and bottom ends open. A front plate 2 of the case 1 is provided with a window 3. A rear plate 4 is formed with an opening 5 and engaging pins 6 at four corners thereof. Two opposite sides of the interior of the case 1 are provided a plurality of pairs of leader supports 7. Each leader support 7 is in the form of a plurality of grooves spaced apart a predetermined interval so as to support both sides of a leader L by its lateral edges. At the bottom end of each leader support 7 is provided a detent means X permitting the leader L to move upward from the bottom end of the leader supports 7 but preventing it from moving downward. The detent means X comprises a claw 9 mounted in a recess 8 provided at the bottom end of the leader support 7. The rear end of the claw 9 is pivotably supported by a pin 10. By engaging the claw 9 against a bottom surface 8a of the recess 8, it keeps its horizontal position with its tip portion disposed in the leader support 7. It can pivot upwardly from the horizontal position (Fig. 2). The leader L is made from a synthetic resin sheet for flexibility. At the center of its width direction are formed a plurality of holes h equally spaced from one another. Two films F are connected to the bottom end of the leader L. Figs. 4 - 7 show an arrangement for feeding leaders L into a leader storage unit A. Numeral 20 is an automatic film developing machine and 21 is a carrier path of the leader L shown in Fig. 2. Through the carrier path 21, a developing unit (not shown) and a drying unit 22 for drying the developed film F are provided. At downstream of the carrier path 21 is provided a delivery mechanism 25 which delivers the leader L and the developed film F connected thereto from a film outlet 23 formed at one side of the top of the automatic film developing machine 20 to a storage unit 24. The delivery mechanism 25 comprises a plurality of roller units U spaced apart from one another by a smaller distance than the entire length of the leader L. The roller unit U comprises a pair of rollers 26a and 26b for feeding films and a sprocket 27 which is coaxial with the roller 26a and engages with the holes h in the leader L. The rollers 26a and 26b are rotated by a driving device (not shown) in opposite directions. A leader carrier path 28 branches from the carrier path 21 downstream of it. At the joint portion of the leader carrier path 28 and the carrier path 21 is provided a select arm 29. It is pivoted by a rotary solenoid 30 connected to its top. Thus, it can change over the carrier direction of the leader L according to the kind of film F fed along the carrier path 21. In the embodiment, films F of a 135 size are guided to the leader carrier path 28, while other films F are fed along the carrier path 21. The leader carrier path 28 extend toward a second film outlet 31 that is formed at the other side of the top of the automatic film developing machine 20 (Fig. 4). The carrier exit protrudes outside of the film outlet 31. The leader carrier path 28 is provided with a delivery mechanism 32. Since it has the same structure as the delivery mechanism 25 provided along the carrier path 21, like parts are denoted by like numerals and their description is omitted. Above the exit of the carrier path 28 is provided a storage unit holder 33 to hold the leader storage unit A removably. As shown in Fig. 6, the storage unit holder 33 comprises a support 34, a pair of side plates 35 at both sides thereof and a top plate 36 at its top. The support 34 is formed with a plurality of guitar-shaped holes 37 to receive engaging pins 6 so that the leader storage unit A is accommodated in the storage unit holder 33. In this state, the carrier exit of the leader carrier path 28 is disposed at the bottom opening of the case 1 and one of the leader supports 7 opposes to the carrier exit. The leader L fed from the leader carrier path 28 to the leader support 7 is guided upward along the leader support 7 by a leader feeding means 38 shown in Fig. 7. It comprises an arm 39, a sprocket 40 rotatably supported on the tip of the arm 39, a motor 41 for driving the sprocket 40, a belt transmission 42 for transmitting the rotation of the motor 41 to the sprocket 40. As shown in Fig. 5, the leader feeding means 38 is mounted so that the arm 39 extends through a cutout 43 formed in the support 34 of the storage unit holder 33 and so that the sprocket 40 can engage in holes h in the leader L fed upward from the carrier exit of the leader carrier path 28. Therefore, the leader L fed from the leader carrier path 28 to the leader support 7 is fed upward further by the rotation of the sprocket 40. A plurality of sensors 44 are mounted on the top plate 36 of the storage unit holder 33. Each sensor 44 is placed so as to be opposite to the respective leader supports 7 in the leader storage unit A accommodated in the storage unit holder 33. Each sensor 44 detects whether or not a leader L has been fed to the leader support 7. The storage unit holder 33 is moved by a distance corresponding to the pitch between the leader supports 7, driven by a transfer means 45 that is activated in response to signals from the sensor 44. Fig. 6 shows the transfer means 45. It comprises a plurality of threaded shafts 46 fixed to the rear surface of the support 34 of the stocker holder 33. Pulleys 47 having a threaded hole are brought into a thread engagement with the threaded shafts 46. A timing belt 50 is placed on the pulleys 47 through a driving pulley 49 mounted on a revolving shaft of a motor 48. With this transfer means 45, the pulleys 47 are rotatably supported in the automatic film developing machine 20 and the threaded shaft 46 is moved in the axial direction by the rotation of the pulleys 47. With the above-described arrangement, in order to store the leaders L fed from the leader carrier path 28 of the automatic film developing machine 20, the leader storage unit A is mounted in the storage unit holder 33. Suppose that the leader L is carried along the carrier path 21 and the films F connected to the leader L are a 135 size, the select arm 29 will guide the leader L to the leader carrier path 28. Films F having other sizes will continue to move along the carrier path 21. When the leader L is fed to the leader carrier path 28, it is fed to its carrier exit guided by the delivery mechanism 32. In this state, one of the leader supports 7 of the leader storage unit A mounted in the storage unit holder 33 is opposite to the carrier exit of the leader carrier path 28. Thus, the leader L fed from the carrier exit of the leader carrier path 28 is fed to the leader support 7 opposite to the carrier exit and then fed upward by the rotation of the sprocket 40 provided at one end of the path. When feeding the leader L in the leader storage unit A, the claw 9 provided at the leader support 7 pivots upward, pushed by the leader L. After the leader L has passed, the claw 9 pivots downward and is supported at the bottom surface 8a. If the sensor 44 detects that the leader L has been fed into the leader support 7, the sprocket 40 will halt its rotation. In this state, the film F following the leader L is fed further by the delivery mechanism 32, forming a loop 51 under the leader storage unit A. When the film F has passed through the delivery mechanism 32, the loop 51 hangs downward from the leader storage unit A. If the sensor 44 detects that the leader L has been fed into the leader support 7, the transfer means 45 operates to move the storage unit holder 33 by one pitch, so that the next leader support 7 is placed to a position opposite to the carrier exit of the leader carrier path 28. Thus, the next leader L fed from the leader carrier path 28 can be fed to the leader support 7. The same operation is repeated. The leader L fed to the leader storage unit A is supported by the claw 9 to prevent from dropping. The leader L, fed along the carrier path 21, is fed from the film outlet 23 to the storage unit 24 so as to place one on another. Figs. 8 - 10 show other examples of the detent means X. In the detent means X shown in Figs. 8A and 8B, the leader support 7 has at both sides of its bottom a pair of roller housing recesses 60 each of which accommodates a one-way roller 61. Each one-way roller 61 contains a one-way clutch (not shown). The leader L is inserted between the contact portions of the one-way roller 61. When the leader L is moved upward, the one-way rollers 61 rotate in the direction of arrow shown in Fig. 8B due to the contact with the leader L, but not in the opposite direction. With the detent means X shown in Figs. 9A and 9B, the leader support 7 has at one side of the bottom thereof a pin hole 62, a detent pin 63 and a spring 64 which presses the detent pin 63 toward the leader support 7. A tapered surface 65 is formed at the bottom surface of the detent pin 63 disposed in the leader support 7. With this detent means X, when the leader L is inserted from the bottom of the leader support 7, the detent pin 63 retracts as the leader L pushes the tapered surface 65 of the pin 63, allowing the leader L to move upward. After the bottom end of the leader L has passed through the detent pin 63, the detent pin moves forward until its tip portion is disposed in the leader support 7, preventing the leader L from moving downward. The arrangement of the detent means X shown in Figs. 10A and 10B is that a recess 66 is formed at one side of the lower part of the leader support 7 to accommodate a claw 67. The rear end of the claw is pivotably supported by a pin 68. At the other side of the lower part of the leader support 7 is formed an engaging recess 69 to receive the tip of the claw 67. When the leader L moves upward from the bottom end of the leader support 7, the claw 67 pivots upward. After the leader L has passed through the claw 67, it will pivot downward and its bottom end engage with the bottom face of the engaging recess 69, preventing the leader L from moving downward.

Claims: A leader storage unit (A) for storing leaders (L) with films (F) coupled thereto, characterised in that said leader storage unit (A) comprises a rectangular case (1) with its bottom end open, a plurality of pairs of leader supports (7), each pair being adapted to support a leader (L) by its lateral edges, the leader supports (7) consisting of a plurality of grooves spaced apart a predetermined interval and provided at respective inner sides of two opposite walls of the case (1), and detent means (X) provided for each of said leader supports (7) for allowing a leader (L) to move along any pair of leader supports (7) forwardly into said leader storage unit (A) and for preventing said leader (L) from moving in the opposite direction. A leader storage unit according to claim 1, characterised in that said detent means (X) comprising a claw (9) mounted in a recess (8) provided at the bottom end of the leader support (7), the rear end of said claw (9) being pivotably supported by a pin (10) such that said claw (9) being pivotable in a plane common with said inserted leader (L). A leader storage unit according to claim 1, characterised in that said detent means (X) comprising a pair of roller housing recesses (60) provided at the bottom side of said leader support (7), each recess (60) accommodating a one-way roller (61) to allow a movement of said leader (L) only in one direction. A leader storage unit according to claim 1, characterised in that said detent means (X) comprising a pin hole (62) at the bottom of each inner side of said opposite walls, each pin hole (62) accommodating a detent pin (63), a spring (64) for biasing said detent pin (63) to the interior of said case (1), said detent pin 63 having a tapered surface (65) at its end facing the interior of said case (1) to allow a movement of said leader (L) only in one direction. A leader storage unit according to claim 1, characterised in that said detent means (X) comprising recesses (66) provided at one side of the lower part of each leader support (7) to accommodate a claw (67), the rear end of which being pivotably supported by a pin (68) such that said claw (67) being pivotable in a plane traverse to the plane of the inserted leader (L). A leader storage assembly arranged to be mounted at a film outlet (31) at an end of the carrier path (28) of an automatic film developing machine (20), said leader storage assembly comprising a leader storage unit as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, a storage unit holder (33) for removably holding said leader stocker (A), so that one of said pairs of leader supports (7) opposes said film outlet (31), leader feeding means (38) for feeding a leader (L) from said film outlet (31) into the leader storage unit (A) along said pair of leader supports (7) opposing said film outlet (31) until the leader (L) has passed through said detent means (X), and transfer means (45) for moving the storage unit holder (33) in a direction perpendicular to the direction of feeding the leaders (L) to a position where the next pair of leader supports (7) opposes said film outlet (31) every time a leader (L) has passed said detent means (X). A leader storage assembly according to claim 6, characterised in that said storage unit holder (33) comprising a support (34), a pair of side plates (35) at both sides thereof and a top plate (36), said support (34) comprising means (37) for accommodating said storage unit holder (33). A leader storage assembly according to claims 6 or 7, characterised in that said leader feeding means (38) comprising an arm (39), a sprocket (40) rotatably supported on the tip of said arm (39), a motor (41) for driving said sprocket (40) and a belt transmission (42) for transmitting the rotation of the motor (41) to the sprocket (40). A leader storage assembly according to claims 7 or 8, characterised in that a plurality of sensors (44) are provided on the top plate (36) of the storage unit holder (33), each sensor (44) being placed so as to be opposite to the respective leader support (7) in the storage unit holder (33). A leader storage assembly according to at least one of the preceding claims 6 to 9, characterised in that said transfer means (45) comprising a plurality of threaded shafts (46) each carrying respective pulleys (47) having a threaded hole, said pulleys (47) carrying a drivable timing belt (50).

Inventors: TODOKI KENJI, TODOKI, KENJI, TODOKI, KENJI, C/O NORITSU KOKI CO., LTD.
Applicants: NORITSU KOKI CO LTD, NORITSU KOKI CO., LTD.
Application year: 1994
Main classification: G03D3
IPC codes: G03D3, G03D13